ANDRE,
HOWARD VINCENT JR.
Howard Vincent Andre, Jr.
Rank/Branch: O4/US Air Force
Unit: 609th Special Operations Squadron
Date of Birth: 18 March 1935
Home City of Record: Memphis TN
Date of Loss: 08 July 1969
Country of Loss: Laos
Loss Coordinates: 191643N 1030913E (YG060325)
Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not Recovered
Category: 2
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: A26A
Refno: 1464
Other Personnel in Incident: James E. Sizemore (missing)
Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 01 October 1990 from
one or more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government
agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published
sources, interviews. Updated by the P.O.W. NETWORK.

The Douglas A26 was a twin-engine attack bomber with World War II
service. In Vietnam, it served the French in the 1950's and also
the U.S. in the early years of American involvement in Southeast
Asia. In 1966, eight A26's were deployed to Nakhon Phanom to
perform hunter-killer missions against truck convoys in southern
Laos. Maj. James E. Sizemore and Maj. Howard V. Andre Jr.
comprised an A26 team stationed at Nakhon Phanom, assigned a
mission over the Plain of Jars region of Xiangkhoang Province,
Laos on July 8, 1969. Sizemore was the pilot and Andre the
navigator on the flight.

When the aircraft was about 12 miles south of the city of Ban Na
Mai, it was downed by hostile fire. A ground team subsequently
furnished unspecified information that Sizemore and Andre could
not have survived. Both were classified Killed in Action/Body Not
Recovered.

Sizemore and Andre are listed among the missing because their
bodies were not recovered. The presence of enemy troops in this
area makes it highly likely that the Lao have information they
could provide about their fates.

In 1973, the prisoners of war held in Vietnam were released. Laos
was not part of the Paris agreement which ended American
involvement in Indochina and no prisoners held by the Lao were
ever released. Nearly 600 Americans were left behind, abandoned
by the country they proudly served.

In 1975, refugees fled Southeast Asia and brought with them
stories of Americans prisoner, missing and unaccounted for in
Southeast Asia. The reports continued to flow in as the years
passed. By 1990, over 10,000 reports had been received. Some
sources have passed multiple polygraph tests, but the U.S.
Government still insists that proof is not available.

Meanwhile, the Lao voice dismay about the large numbers of their
people that were killed and the fact that much of their once
beautiful homeland now is cratered like the moon from bombs
dropped by American planes. They seem to want acknowledgement
that, in bombing enemy sanctuaries in Laos, we also did great
harm to the Lao people.

We are haunted by the secret war we conducted in Laos through the
lives of the Americans we left behind. Some of them are still
alive. What must they be thinking of us?

MAJ - O4 - Air Force - Regular
34 year old Married, Caucasian, Male
Born on Mar 18, 1935
From MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
Length of service 12 years.
His tour of duty began on Jul 08, 1969 Casualty was on Jul 08,
1969
LAOS
Hostile, died while missing FIXED WING - CREW
AIR LOSS, CRASH ON LAND Body was not recovered
Religion: METHODIST
Panel 21W - - Line 80

=================

ONE BY
ONE, THEY ARE COMING HOME.

They left the
jungles red with blood, the Daves, the Johns, the Jims.
Boarded the Freedom Bird, they were going home again.
Behind them were the horrors, the agony and the fears.
The memories they brought with them,to dim not ore the years.

Anxious hearts
were beating fast, as the Freedon Bird touched down.
Home at last or so they thought, but shocked at what they found.
Some came off the plane walking, some on strechers and wheel
chairs.
Nothing had prepared them for the jeers and hate filled stares.

What had they
done they thought, as some bowed their head in shame?
They had fought for God and Country, so for what did come this
blame.
Incoming spit and rotten eggs hurt worse than wounds their bodies
bore.
And all thoughts of Freedom faded as they stepped back on U.S.
soil.

Families could
not understand why they were not the same.
Some wouldn't even listen, when he would try to explain.
No Welcome Home parades, for the town's people turned away.
For him there was not to be a real Homecoming Day.

They went in all
directions, and coped the best they could.
Carrying more guilt and shame than any Veteran should.
They built walls and bunkers inside so they could be touched no
more.
And each night they dreamed and cried and fought a raging war.

For thirty some
odd years have passed and wonder where they are?
Some are walking the homeless streets, some in VA mental wards.
Many have died from illness contracted in the Nam.
Some just quit fighting, some picked up a gun.

But by the Grace
of God, some found the courage to step out.
"I am a Vietnam Veteran, I got the right to be proud"
Turn away if you must or listen if you will.
I've bore all you threw at me and I am standing still.

Although my steps
are weary and my soul is oh so sore,
You can take your blame and guilt, I won't carry it no more.
I'll reach out to my brothers that are still standing all alone
And by God you can't stop us.. One by One We're Coming home.
***************************************
Dedicated to Jimmie, Dave and John .. "Welcome
Home"
by Lois Adams